


Expensive

by Darkestwolfx



Series: March Prompt a Day 2020 [9]
Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Family, Gen, Money, Riches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:47:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23218750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkestwolfx/pseuds/Darkestwolfx
Summary: Many things in the world are deemed expensive. Nothing was too expensive in Jeff's mind, not when it came to his boys.
Series: March Prompt a Day 2020 [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1660813
Kudos: 11





	Expensive

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't necessarily not TAG set, but it does reference details that were given clearly in the TOS storyline, and maybe not focused on so much in TAG. So choose the setting as you will.

**9: Expensive**

Summary: Many things in the world are deemed expensive. Nothing was too expensive in Jeff's mind, not when it came to his boys.

Words: 1234 (Ironic, I know!)

Spoilers: None.

* * *

Expensive was one of those words which, though it had only a singular definition, had multiple meanings.

When someone said to you, _'that's too expensive',_ you instantly knew that such meant it _cost a lot of money._ And that – if you could be bothered to look in the tome – was the dictionary definition of 'expensive'.

The only definition.

Yet, the dictionary neglected to throw all it's meaning at you. Expensive didn't just mean that it cost a lot of money, or couldn't be afforded.

Decisions could prove expensive, as could mistakes. Something could be costly to do, or only affect one type of people negatively, and not the others. It could mean many more things than what the dictionary simply said.

Still, the word expensive – for all its meanings – only really served one purpose in the modern world. It was an adjective, but no longer really used in that way; no, it was more like a lesson now. A vital word that was taught until it was ingrained in your brain, just as much as an emergency dial code was. It was one of those apparent 'life skills' that were oh so important to know _and_ master.

When you were young, your parents cautioned you against making the wrong decisions, or spending too much too soon, and spoke of the value of saving. Nothing had really been different for them, except for the fact that they had the money sitting over their heads. Each one of them had a trust fund which was theirs when they reached eighteen, and until then, Dad threw money at almost everything.

International Rescue was just one of those things. It was like going to an expensive restaurant for dinner every night, _and_ buying the most expensive car _and_ going on the most expensive holiday all at the same time. But, the man's money proved infinite. There was still loads left when the project was completed and the boys realised that there was far more than they thought, almost as if it did grow on trees.

But, it set a president, having so much money seemingly in a cloud.

Scott did buy himself an expensive car, before realising that he didn't really earn enough money yet to afford that on his own. Dad bailed him out, paying the money back to him, although the stubborn first born insisted he would one day pay it back. Jeff never really understood why; their money was shared, most of it ending up in the same place.

John wrote a book after he made his big discovery, but took a risk in choosing a small publishers. The main, big group that were interested had wanted far too many conditions that John simply wasn't willing to meet, so he hedged his bets on a little downtown publishing agency that had a good reputation, but were little more than a start up in comparison to their competition. But, the risk paid off and the decision didn't prove expensive in the end, rather prosperous. Both John and the publishing agency got a considerable cut, and the second son got his wish of a portion of the profits going to a charity for bereaved children.

Virgil soon found that things he wanted, racked up to be more expensive than they should be. Arts, music, all of them were overpriced, unfairly so and it irritated the creative middle child that he had to pay twice what he really should for what was basically a pencil with a number written on the side. It would be far cheaper to buy the casing of the pencil with the led removed, because he knew that was what added the cost.

Gordon's swimming career had been expensive for somebody… aka, mum and dad, but prosperous for him. He'd received many endorsements and funds over the years, but the people who had paid for the lessons which got him there, didn't get any of that back. Years later it dawned on Gordon that he should probably pay it back, but everytime he tried to enter that conversation, Dad changed the subject.

Alan found it was expensive for him to do what he wanted. It wasn't as cheap as he thought it would be to race around in fast cars, and though there were always large prize funds, he never felt right in keeping those for himself.

Back in the days when Jeff was a child, he'd never asked for much. He knew his parents couldn't overly afford it, and he never wished to put them in that position. He didn't ever want for anything, as such. He was an incredibly lucky boy and he was raised perfectly well, and he knew that compared to love, money definitely wasn't everything.

However, it had nevertheless inspired him to make sure that his boys truly never wanted for anything; not love nor money. It wasn't wise to let children think money grew on trees, and so he tried to instil lessons on the value of money into his boys regardless. Yet, when it really came to it, he didn't care what the cost was.

He paid for Scott's car, not because the boys realised he'd made a mistake or because he was relentlessly determined to pay him back, but because he wanted to.

He would have paid for John to self-publish his books, if his son hadn't been able to find an existing company that he was happy with.

He understood Virgil's anger at his passion costing an unnecessary fortune, so he'd set up a tab to cover the costs of anything his middle child wanted. Virgil had smiled at him, clearly having realised, and Jeff was sure the man was constantly trying to find way to thank him. Being able to see and hear his artistic talents, well, that was enough.

He never let Gordon entertain the conversation of paying him back for years' worth of swimming lessons and travel costs. The swimmer had followed his passion from the youngest of ages and Jeff was proud of the boy for never giving up and reaching the highest of heights. It was his honour as a parent to see that, and to have been a part of it. He didn't need to be repaid that money, because it had already been paid back a hundred times over in smiles and happy memories.

He commissioned Brains to make and obtain Alan everything he needed, making the costs entirely in house. That didn't mean Jeff loved his youngest racing round in the fastest of cars, but he knew it meant he could ensure everything was to the best standards. It made it easier for Alan to give away the money he won without feeling like he needed it.

His sons didn't need to earn money. They could sit around with their feet up and he would pay every bill for them.

He knew he couldn't always, of course, for that was life and there would come a time (sad to say as it was to think), when he wouldn't be around. But he could do what he could, contribute where he wished whilst he was here.

Living was expensive.

His dream had been expensive, and he'd built that with money to spare.

He had no plans to take that money to his grave. So his sons may as well have every penny for their every will and wish.


End file.
